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Why do communities want data centers? : The Indicator from Planet Money Billions of tech dollars flowing into a community to build data centers should transform a local economy ... right? Well, maybe not.

On today's episode: Why data centers create few permanent jobs. And why communities might want them anyway.

Related episodes:
Why China's DeepSeek AI is such a big deal (Apple / Spotify)
Is AI overrated? (Apple / Spotify)

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

The Indicator from Planet Money

The Indicator from Planet Money
NPR

The Indicator from Planet Money

What $10 billion in data centers actually gets you

What $10 billion in data centers actually gets you

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Attendees view an AI data center at the SK networks stand during the MWC (Mobile World Congress), March 3, 2025.
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Attendees view an AI data center at the SK networks stand during the MWC (Mobile World Congress), March 3, 2025. MANAURE QUINTERO/Getty Images hide caption

MANAURE QUINTERO/Getty Images
Attendees view an AI data center at the SK networks stand during the MWC (Mobile World Congress), March 3, 2025.

Attendees view an AI data center at the SK networks stand during the MWC (Mobile World Congress), March 3, 2025.

MANAURE QUINTERO/Getty Images

Billions of tech dollars flowing into a community to build data centers should transform a local economy ... right? Well, maybe not.

On today's episode: Why data centers create few permanent jobs. And why communities might want them anyway.

Related episodes:
Why China's DeepSeek AI is such a big deal (Apple / Spotify)
Is AI overrated? (Apple / Spotify)

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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